k. To make him think it's his patriotic duty--"

"Well," said Jo-Anne sharply, "isn't it?"

Harry Bettis smiled. "When he gets as big as Universal Motors, he can
become patriotic."

"Mr. Sloman," the assistant F.B.I. chief said, "they will either try to
kidnap you outright, or work on you through someone you love. Therefore,
our bodyguards--"

"Well, let them keep their distance, that's all," Bettis said. "Bad for
business. Nobody wants enemy agents hanging around."

"That's your final decision?" the F.B.I. man asked.

"Well--" began Johnny.

"Yes, it's our final decision," said Harry Bettis, showing the F.B.I.
man to the door.

"I don't think you should have done that," Johnny said after he had
gone.

"You just make the weather, Johnny-boy. I'll take care of business."

"Well--" said Johnny.

"Johnny!" cried Jo-Anne. "Oh, Johnny! Why don't you act like a man?" And
she ran from the room, slamming the door.

After that, Johnny didn't see her again.

She was gone.

Really gone, for certain, not simply walking off in a huff.

Two weeks later, Johnny got the letter--unofficial--from the Enemy.

* * * * *

The F.B.I. was sympathetic, but the Chief said, "You can understand, Mr.
Sloman, how our hands are tied. It is not an official letter. We can't
prove anything. We don't doubt it for a minute, of course. The cold war
enemy has kidnapped your fiancee and taken her to their motherland.
But--we can't prove it. Not being able to prove it, we can't do a thing
about it. You're aware, of course, of how readily the rest of the world
condemns our actions. Not that they wouldn't be on our side if we could
prove that this kidnap letter was the real thing, but you realize we
won't be able to prove it at all."

"Oh," said Johnny. He went home. He saw Harry Bettis, who said he was
shocked. The note read:

Mr. Johnny Sloman:

We have Miss Jo-Anne Davis here in the motherland. The only way she
can live a normal life here is if you join her and work for us. We
believe you know what the other kind of life is like here.

Bettis said, "It stumps the hell out of me, Johnny."

"I'm just waking up," said Johnny slowly. "In a way, it's your fault."

"Now, don't be a jackass, Johnny."

Jackass or no, Johnny hit him. His knuckles went crunch and Harry
Bettis' nose went crunch and Bettis fell down. He lay there, his nose
not looking so good.

Now, when it was apparently t